Music Meets Drama

Norman Carlberg, Evan Pappas & Ellen Harvey…..all three directors of “Life! Love! Song! A Visit with Gena Branscombe.” A one-woman show ….how does one person get so lucky to have three wonderful directors? Life is not predictable or fair at times. In my April 8, 2010, blog I wrote of my first director, Norman Carlberg, who gave wings to my show and saw me through to the opening night at the Liederkranz Club in April 2004. I am thankful to him for comprehending and supporting my mission to get Gena Branscombe’s life story out to the world. Norm died suddenly of a heart attack in July 2005. At that time I was about to go back into rehearsals with Norm for upcoming performances. Evan Pappas, my co-author, and I had rewritten the script, made cuts and sharpened the show. I was excited to get back on my feet and perform this diamond of a show. Norm’s death meant I had no director and was in need of someone to help me put the show back together. Without hesitation I called Evan a...

There is no need to tally up the years one has had a dedicated friend as the number is meaningless, the quality of friendship, a blessing in one’s life and, ….well, priceless, to quote an advertisement. Thus it is with my treasured friend Julie TeSlaa. We met while Julie was in Junior High School and I was in college. It’s frightening to say that I was Julie’s voice teacher….what did I know about vocal technique in those years? Oh, dear me…..next to nothing. Still, Julie and I became fast friends. She was introduced to opera when I took her to hear/see the Metropolitan Opera during their Spring tour in Minneapolis. She heard art song recitals by the great singers when they also came to Minneapolis. She was a sponge taking it all in. As for Julie as a singer, with a 1000 watt smile, her sweet voice comes with the heart and soul of a performer. Standing a mere 4’10” she had the ability to draw you into her world of a song touching the audience’s soul. So time marches on and ...

As I have written my blog entries, I realized recently that more has been said about my Gena Branscombe project than about Gena Branscombe the person. When I perform my lecture recital, “Gena Branscombe: Her Life in Poetry & Song” after singing the opening song, I begin speaking with the statement, “Gena Branscombe born Picton, Ontario, November 4, 1881 died New York City July 1977. Daughter, woman, wife, working mother with four daughters, pianist, accompanist, composer, conductor; founder, conductor, fund raiser and organizer for over twenty years of her women’s chorus The Branscombe Choral, leader of women holding executive offices in such organizations as the National League of American Pen Women, General Federation of Women’s Clubs, National Federation of Music Clubs, Society of American Women Composers, Altrusa International and more…..oh, and did I mention, she was the mother of four?” Here in pictures is Gena’s life with a little commentary. I trust this will expla...

My CD was out in 2003 ….actually released for distribution and what a thrill it was. Now what……? Albany Records sent copies of my CD to their list of radio stations as part of the release and in hopes of enticing them to play it during programming. Stations are inundated with new CDs each and every day so I realized without some leg work on my part, my CD would not get air time. In today’s world radio stations are part of a conglomerate where programming is an executive decision and the broadcasts are sent out from a central studio to stations around the country. The creative and business part of my brain took over as I scoured the internet for classical radio programs featuring women in music projects and new works programs. My job was to find independent and community supported stations whose announcers were creative as well as inquisitive with their programming. Would they dare to play a CD of a non-famous performer, of a forgotten composer from the past? Would announcers and pro...

"Patron of the Arts" is a term long familiar to the creative world at large. The history of music shows that the courts of England, Germany, Austria and Italy supported such composers as Mozart, Handel, Haydn and Monteverdi. These composers were commissioned to write and perform pieces for specific occasions where musicians were hired, choral anthems, operas, chamber music or symphonies were performed all to entertain the court and the common people and, most important, paid for by royalty! Times have not changed in over 500 years. Today, we in the arts continue to rely on the generosity of people who understand that music, dance and art influence our daily lives. Music soothes our aural and spiritual souls. Art inhabits our visual and spiritual souls. Dance thrills us, leaving our physical and spiritual souls with heightened awareness of the beauty the human body can express. The price of concert tickets does not cover the expenses for performances so we have bi...

Twenty years of collaboration….how does one write about those twenty years without sounding sentimental, saccharin and overly emotional? My job now is putting into words what it has been like to have an accompanist, collaborator, cheerleader and dear friend named Martin Hennessy. “Concerts to Go” was a program sponsored by the music series at Trinity Church in New York City. With a baritone friend, Martin and me, we traveled subways and buses to perform opera arias, duets and show tunes in nursing homes throughout the five boroughs. Touching these elderly people’s lives with the gift of music and watching the smiles on their faces was a reward beyond what words can express. Martin became my coach and accompanist from that original collaboration. Over the past twenty years we have prepared and performed countless recital programs. He has helped me learn oratorios that I have sung from New York to Maine. He knew which of my buttons to push to make me reach deeper inside ...

Satin covered buttons attached to the back of a hand sewn lace dress, snaps lovingly fastened under those buttons to ensure the lace does not tear. Small even stitches join the silk lining to the bodice of the dress. Yes, the dress was made by Gena Branscombe! We surmise she wore it to perform. In March 2002 my colleague and friend Laurine Elkins Marlow gifted me this dress because, “You need to have the dress near you.” A beautiful and treasured item! What does this dress represent?….a ten year friendship that has meant the world to me and born out of my Gena Branscombe project. It is now time for me to tell the story of people behind the scenes. For three continuous days after Gena Branscombe’s death in July 1977, Laurine labored in Miss Branscombe’s apartment to organize and catalogue her original manuscripts and published music. Gena’s music was everywhere …..on top of the piano, under the piano, on the floor, on tables, under tables…….piles of music needing attenti...

During the past year I have lost two dear friends….both part of my cheering section during the development of my Gena Project, the recording of my CD and my one-woman show. Loss is always a difficult item for us to face. As children we are invincible, as teenagers infallible, as young adults we know we have years to accomplish what we want – the world is ours on a silver platter. The years fly by and slowly we have reached the age where we notice those few lines on our faces, our bodies have those creaks and pains and then a stark reality, a dear friend dies. What happened to our invincibility, infallibility and the abundant years? So, I have faced this kind of loss not just once but recently, twice. Two lovely, strong women, individuals in their own right, supporters of the arts and music, and people whose footprints will forever be on my heart. I met Millie McGonagle while I was a student at St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. She attended student recitals and op...